


The Green Tree Place Mystery

by water_bby



Category: The Red House Mystery - A. A. Milne
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 09:45:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13051488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/water_bby/pseuds/water_bby
Summary: "I was trying to figure out how to explain about the detective business without sounding like I was trying to get them to invite a friend for Christmas.""But, Bill, you have gotten them to invite a friend for Christmas.""It's not the same thing at all!





	The Green Tree Place Mystery

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elennare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elennare/gifts).



**Miss Constance Delamarre Begs A Favor**  
Constance Delamarre, called Connie by everyone except her parents, knocked loudly on her Great-Aunt Constance's door. Great-Aunt Constance was Connie's favorite relative, more even than Grandmother Delamarre, who visited once a month and always brought gifts for Connie and her brother William. Great-Aunt Constance only came to Green Tree Place once or twice a year, but she brought a genuine liking for spending time with Connie as well as the most amazing sweets from whichever far away places she'd been since her last stay.

It was barely past lunchtime two days before Christmas, and William was away until Christmas Eve, so Connie could have Great-Aunt Constance all to herself. And she knew exactly what she wanted to do. After all, at the grand age of seven, Connie certainly was grown enough to actually hold The Christmas Wreath, Great-Aunt Constance's amazing brooch that she only wore on Christmas Day.

"Good afternoon, Connie. What shall we do this afternoon?" Great-Aunt Constance smiled at Connie, really, truly asking for Connie's opinion, unlike Grandmother, who usually had already decided the answer.

"Let's get The Wreath out!"

"Connie, it's not Christmas yet, you know I only wear it on Christmas."

Great-Aunt Constance was laughing, but that didn't signify. Connie had known that objection would be made. "But I want to see how it looks in the sun. Please, Great-Aunt Constance? Please?"

"Oh, very well. Come over here and help me open my case," said Great-Aunt Constance. And Connie went eagerly, almost bouncing with excitement as the key turned in the lock and the lid lifted to reveal Great-Aunt Constance's jewelry. There were diamonds, and pearls, and even three or four brooches of various designs and stones, but The Christmas Wreath was not in the box.

**Mr. Beverly Makes A Telephone Call**  
"Tony, could you get out here by tomorrow?" Bill Beverly spoke softly into the telephone. "I've got a case for you. It's not a murder, though as it's Christmas, that's probably for the best. It's just, something has happened, and they don't want to call in the police, because, frankly, it's a hideous, tacky piece of paste, but it would be ever so helpful if you could figure out where the thing disappeared to, because Connie is distraught, and Christmas is not the time for distraught seven-year-olds, and.... Oh. Oh. I'm in Hampshire, you ass, I know I told you. Really, you're supposed to remember these things. Yes, it's Green Tree Place. Oh, I suppose I didn't mention the county, did I, because you'd remember. So, will you come? That's wonderful! Tonight? See you later then!"

**Mr. Gillingham Comes To Green Tree Place**  
Antony Gillingham was listening more intently to his friend Bill's description of the furor of the afternoon than he appeared to be. Bill, used to his friend's mind going in different directions at once, simply continued with his story about the unscheduled viewing of Mrs. Constance Lacey's infamous Christmas Day brooch and the discovery that said piece of costume jewelry had gone missing since the large jewel case had been last opened shortly after her arrival at Green Tree Place the week before. "Apparently she picks out what she'll want for several days and moves them to a smaller case or some such thing. I'm afraid I wasn't paying as close attention as I ought to have, I suppose, but I was trying to figure out how to explain about the detective business without sounding like I was trying to get them to invite a friend for Christmas."

"But, Bill, you have gotten them to invite a friend for Christmas," Antony murmured.

"Oh, you mad man, you. It's not the same thing at all! They're all convinced that none of the servants took it, and Aunt Constance -- she prefers that to Mrs. Lacey, but I suppose you should let her tell you that -- well, Aunt Constance isn't really attached to the piece, but little Connie is so dreadfully upset about it, it was agreed that having someone in to help would, well, help. You see?"

Antony allowed that he thought he understood, but that Bill should be a good Watson and let him make his own impressions of the household before they started truly solving this mystery.

**Mr. Beverly Stands Watch**  
Following Christmas Eve breakfast the next day, Antony and Bill returned upstairs while the rest of the family and their guests scattered to engage in various festivities. Bill pouted a bit when Antony made him stand in the door of their room, which was, happily, positioned with a good view of both sets of stairs. Bill's job was to alert Antony if any one came up the stairs while Antony was trying to break into Aunt Constance's jewelry box. Bill breathed a sigh of relief when Antony emerged a mere fifteen minutes later.

"So?"

"Child's play. Anyone could have done it with a bit of time and a hair pin. Let's go for a walk."

"What?"

"We need to talk without being overheard, Bill, you know that. Starting with telling me about anyone who was here a week ago, say, but isn't here now."

"Oh," Bill said as he donned an overcoat and scarf, "I think that William's the only one who's not here right now, but he'll be back after lunch. Oh! Maybe it was a schoolboy prank!"

"William? The son?"

"Yes. What do you want to know?"

"Let's get outside first, and then I'll let you know."

**Mr. William Delamarre Arrives Home**  
Several hours later, Bill Beverly and Antony Gillingham were roused from their contemplations of the lights in the sitting room by the the arrival of a motor car, followed shortly by the opening of the front door and an excited shout from Connie. Young Mr. Delamarre had finally returned home for the holiday.

The rest of the family and guests met in the hall to welcome him home, and there was a rapid round of "hellos" to those he already knew and introductions to those he didn't. Antony adjusted where he and Bill stood so that they were the last to be greeted, with the older members of the family perfectly content to let Bill mind the civilities while they returned to their interrupted game of bridge.

"Perhaps," Antony murmured to young William as they shook hands, "you should give Aunt Constance her gift now."

William stared at him while Connie pulled on her brother's sleeve, anxious to tell him about the horrible goings on of the past day.

"Or I could do it," Antony continued.

"William," Connie cried, tired of waiting for her brother's attention, "the most terrible thing has happened! The Wreath is missing! Maybe stolen!"

William nodded at Antony and turned his sister toward the sitting room with its large tree and its pile of gifts. "Connie, I need your help finding Great-Aunt's gift. I need the small one in green and gold paper." When Connie, to no one's surprise, demanded to know why, William refused to answer beyond saying, "It's important, Con. The quicker the better."

Bill stared at his friend as they watched the children pulling presents from under the tree. "Tony? Why is William actually taking your advice?"

Antony laughed quietly. "Because, my brilliant Watson, in this case, you were right. It was a prank. If Connie hadn't insisted, no one would have known it was missing until tomorrow, and if the smallest gifts are opened tonight, then it would have been returned to its owner before she went to put it on."

"So, thefts're acceptable for your investigations, not just murders?"

"Bill, recall the Blue Carbuncle in the Christmas goose. Yes, in future, you may call me in the case of thefts as well as murders, you ass."

Mr. Beverly just laughed at him and went to sample the punch while Great-Aunt Constance broke years of tradition and fixed The Christmas Wreath to her dress on Christmas Eve.


End file.
